What next, ma'am?
by TheSexyPineapple
Summary: The sequel to 'A Chance Encounter' but could be read as a stand alone fic so long as the basic premise of Jenny and Vastra living and working together but not yet in a romantic relationship is understood.
1. Chapter 1

The thought of taking a life had once scared Jenny, the act of consciously killing another was so completely foreign. She used to think about how wrong and despicable it was. She used to think a lot of things. Now she didn't think twice about it, it had become part of a routine. So when she stabbed a man, who had somehow managed to corner Vastra, in the back she didn't even bat an eye at the blood.

The lizard was confused when she suddenly felt a weight fall upon her and something wet sodden her clothes. She pushed the man from her and Jenny neatly stepped out of the way from it.

"I can see why you needed my 'elp ma'am," she teased, she teased her about it whenever she had to help her, it had become sort of a running joke.

"Hilarious." She brushed herself off and stood up straight. "Thank you for your assistance, it has been appreciated." Ever since Vastra had kissed her maid she'd been acting odd, more so than usual at least. She'd started treating Jenny more and more like the help she was, she was polite and civil but whatever friendship they had had all but dwindled into nothing. "You may leave now, I shall return soon. Warm my bed for my arrival."

Jenny grimaced, she was always told to leave when she 'dined'. It was probably because she threw up when she first saw Madame eat a person- she hadn't even warned her! "Yes ma'am. Do be quick, you know how you get when you catch a chill."

"I know how to take care of myself Miss Flint," she hissed, making Jenny flinch. Vastra hadn't meant to upset her or anything, the past few months had just been awful for her, not knowing how to act or talk around her. It was almost as if she had regressed to when she was attacking workers in the underground. She wouldn't apologise though. Would not apologise to her. Not weak.

"Yes ma'am, sorry ma'am," she mumbled before turning and returning to the house.

* * *

It wasn't long before Vastra returned. The stupid lizard had deliberately ignored Jenny's advice and had dawdled home.

"Bloody 'ell Vastra!" It was one of the first times she'd called her by her name in months. "You're freezin', you 'ad me worried sick about you!"

Her movements were sluggish as she went to take a seat. "Savouring," she mumbled.

"Don't lie to me, you've got more sense than that."

So Jenny thought that Vastra had sense, it could have been a compliment and that boosted her mood tad. "I, if you really must know, was thinking."

She sighed when she noticed Vastra lean closer to the fire, she did that whenever she got too cold.

"And what were you thinkin' about?" She didn't use the customary 'ma'am', she never did when she was being stern.

Vastra thought for a long while, perhaps it took so long because of her incredibly low temperature. The waiting only served to irritate the maid.

"Well?"

"Do you remember when I kissed you?"

Of course she remembered, it was hard to forget; those scales were so smooth and soft against her lips- but it wasn't pleasant. No. Not at all. Jenny Flint did not enjoy it one bit.

"Yes ma'am, I remember."

"Now correct me if I'm wrong, and I am often not, but you wanted me to do that."

Jenny blushed a bright red and her hands balled into fists. "I did not want you to do that!" she yelled, carefully enunciating each word to make the lizard see sense.

"And that, my dear, is exactly why I am the detective and you are the... you are the... give me a moment." Vastra sat and thought about exactly what Jenny's role was in their duo. Jenny could fight, that was one thing, but hiring someone was just as easy, she was bright, but Vastra was more intelligent. Not having an answer became worrisome.

She sighed, she'd thought the same thing, Jenny didn't have any express purpose other than to be an occasional distraction. "I know ma'am. D'you want a blanket?"

"You know blankets don't work for me, Silurians don't generate their own heat, unlike you apes."

"I'm not an ape and you know it. You always complain about us 'umans but you're always tryin' to 'elp us too, you just keep contradictin' yourself."

"The Doctor arranged this for-"

"You could 'ave refused! You could 'ave gone back 'ome!"

"And where would you be if I had gone back?"

It was a fair point and it struck a cord in Jenny, she began to think of what life would be like without the ever-present knowledge that she'd be taken care of should the need arise. "... You're right."

"Right? There was nothing for me to be right about, unless you're referring to my comment about you mammals, which I was wholly correct about."

The maid stepped further into the room and breathed a few shaking breaths. "No ma'am, you were right."

* * *

A/N- Special thanks to bluerthanvelvet, hintermhorizont, LyzeeAnne, loverofmalec, Jenny and catlover210 for reviewing the last (and very short) chapter of the story that came before this.

Quick apology for the length, or lack of thereof, this should improve as I get to where I want to.


	2. Chapter 2

Vastra frowned and brought her fingers to her temples, migraines, or the Silurian equivalent of such, had become increasingly more common in the recent months. It was obviously all Jenny's fault. Obviously.

Jenny gnawed off the skin on her lips, an unfortunate nervous habit if you were to ask her mother, and it made her think. It was Jenny's experience that her thinking never usually lead to anything particularly spectacular. On to her actual thoughts; the human often thought about Silurian culture and anatomy. For the most part Vastra looked similar enough to a human, forgetting the scales, but did the similarity end at their bipedal nature? For example, could Vastra pull scales from her lips as Jenny did with skin? Perhaps a better question was this: why did she even have those questions? She didn't care.

The Silurian, in desperation for heat and currently lacking shame, quite literally slid off her seat just to crawl into a fetal position beside the fire.

Jenny left the room unnoticed and returned with light feet, creeping towards her frien- employer with pillow in hand and gently placed it beneath her head, she couldn't have been comfortable lying there like that. She had to get up quite close, closer than she was comfortable with, even kneeling, so close the flames very nearly licked at her sleeves.

"Thank you," she mumbled. Her hand brought itself back to her temple and was most relieved to find her headache slowly beginning to wane.

"Just doing my job ma'am," she answered politely and, rather ignorantly, placed the back of her hand against Vastra's forehead. Always forgetting about how Silurians were cold. But Vastra was so warm towards her. The gesture was familiar, a ghost of the way Jenny's curiosity spiked and almost forced her to inspect the scales under the guise of scientific investigation the way she used to.

"Jenny?" she began, almost slurring, "what are you doing?"

"Mammal things." Lying wasn't something Jenny didn't do often. Well, it wasn't lying, per se, she just was not in the mood to explain.

"Do you touch many people's faces?" came her quick questioning, if Vastra were the sort- and she wasn't- she might have even sounded a touch jealous.

A laugh, a quiet one, came from the maid. Poor Vastra, the weather was really having an adverse effect on her. "No Vastra, I don't. It's my job to take care of you."

Her eyes snapped open and she stared quizzically at the woman above her. "It's your job? Is that what being a maid entails? I don't expect you to take care of me."

"It's my job," she repeated. "And if you die, I'm out of the job, I don't want to find another, I quite like this one."

"I didn't expect to hear that from you."

This confused Jenny, surely she'd knew that she enjoyed her job.

Her expression of puzzlement was clear and Vastra explained what she had meant, "permit me to expand. You, as I have observed, haven't been particularly happy."

"Don't matter ma'am," she replied quietly, still with the back of her hand against Vastra's scaled forehead.

"Of course it matters, it doesn't matter to me why you're sad, it matters that you are." Both Jenny and Vastra became concerned at the sudden protective nature. Actually, it was hardly sudden. Vastra was quite protective of humans as a whole, what with serving under Scotland Yard on a regular basis. She also kept Jenny in good check too, always having enough food for the pair of them and never taking her anywhere she didn't believe Jeny could handle herself or where she couldn't protect her should worst come to worst.

"Stop it, I don't like you talking like this." This was not wholly true, she liked that she was concerned for her. Nobody else cared. Then her mind wandered to thoughts she didn't want to think, as the mind often does, and wondered why there was a mutual caring between the two unlikely friends. They had met in Jenny hour of need, this was true, but Vastra had arrived too late and Jenny would always associate her with what happened. Then they met again a short while after, then Jenny ended up under the employ of the woman who killed in cold blood. One could say it was fate but the very notion was ridiculous.

"And why not? You've only exhibited rejection to any sign of affection from me once."

Of course, she just had to bring that up. Clever lizard, using that against her. Perhaps she was more like a snake than initially thought. It occurred to her that maybe, just maybe, Vastra really didn't know what a kiss meant to humans. Who was to say Silurians kissed? Maybe, she hoped, she made a mistake in her human etiquette. Yes, that was it.

"Jenny," Vastra poked a well-trimmed claw at her face. It was soft a fleshy and weak. "You've been staring at nothing for quite some time now."

The maid eventually removed her hand, it was becoming awkward. "I, if you must know, was thinking."

"And what were you thinking about?" She was eager to know, it was rare that she got to know what went on in Jenny's head.

"You were right, you're always right, an' it's not fair," she answered calmly. "But you don't understand 'cause you're an idiot sometimes. No offence."

It wasn't often that Vastra became confused, but it was usually caused by her human companion and it was becoming a more regular occurrence than she was comfortable with. She propped herself up on her elbows, nullifying the need for the pillow (though it was greatly appreciated). "I'm not an idiot."

* * *

A/N- I'm really sorry about slow updates, school has been awful to me lately. Thank you to all those who are reading.

Special thanks to loverofmalec, Into The Vortex and Tabby for reviewing.


	3. Chapter 3

She sat up and turned so she was facing the human. "You're making it difficult to talk to you."

"Me? You're the one that 'ates 'umans, you're lucky I still talk at all."

That was it, she was annoyed. She was annoyed because of the cold, she was annoyed because she was tired and she was annoyed because Jenny had somehow gotten it into her soft human head that her speaking was some sort of privilege. Apes. All the same.

Vastra rolled her eyes and lay back down, deliberately away from the pillow- take that, Jenny! How incredibly cunning indeed.

Jenny sighed and offered the pillow again while trying to push the lizard with attitude back so she was as close the fire as possible.

"I don't require a pillow," she mumbled as it was pressed to her head. "Ah- you caught a scale!" It didn't hurt, she'd had worse wounds, it was an uncomfortable feeling though.

Her cry made her recoil, she didn't mean to do anything and it always guilted her terribly when she inadvertently upset, irritated, or even hurt Vastra. "Sorry! I-I didn' mean to!" Stupid girl, what sort of idiot does that? Probably anyone who was as unfamiliar with Silurians as she was, but that wasn't the point.

Unfortunately Vastra took her tone and reaction for fear. She snatched the pillow with such inhuman force that even her trimmed claws burst through it, leaving feathers about the floor. Her frustrations bypassed her coldness and gave her the willpower to stand and part with the flames. "For goodness sake! Stop being so scared of me!" It hurt her that the one human she genuinely liked and had cared for still cowered at her presence, anyone else however, well, that was a different and far gorier story.

Ironically that was when Jenny felt the sickly tendrils of fear snake at the back of her mind. She wasn't afraid, not quite.

Advancing upon her, slow as it may have been, may not have been such a good idea. Approximately two steps in she felt herself falter an her weakness return, so much so that Jenny had to give her some support. Vastra wanted to be angry and to push her away but that would have been counter-productive.

The sulking Silurian was lowered back to the floor. If she had the capability to blush then she would have been, and it had nothing to do with the fact that this was the closest Jenny had been to her for a very long time.

As the naturally warm human began to move back Vastra caught her wrist. Relief washed over her when Jenny felt that she was steadily getting warmer, then she felt something tugging her down. It wasn't forceful and it wasn't commanding, Vastra was just lonely. Her best and only friend had alienated herself from her and it was her own fault. She didn't care that Jenny hated her, she was fed up of loneliness.

"D'you need something?" she asked softly, quietly, not wanting to provoke her again.

No, she didn't need anything. She, however, did want to make Jenny stop hating her. "You are the only other thing in the vicinity that generates heat." How sly, how cunning.

The organic heater rolled her eyes but sat beside her and was subject to the Silurian putting a good deal of her weight on her. "I know you're lying ma'am."

Vastra grunted and dragged the pair of them impossibly closer to the fire. "I don't know what you're talking about."

With a hand on the lizard's head she smiled slightly. "You've been colder than this before and you never wanted my 'elp."

"Fine, fine, I wanted to talk to you. Is that so wrong?" she admitted. "What, pray tell, was I 'right' about?" It was normal for Vastra to be curious, she always wanted to figure out humans and felt she was coming pretty close with Jenny.

Then Jenny put her arms around her friend, not hugging her, this was not a hug.

"... Jenny, what are you doing?" While she wasn't complaining, she was concerned about the sudden change in attitude towards her.

"Warmin' you up."

"You are rather warm. And red, you're very red." Vastra lifted her palm to the reddened human cheek. Jenny didn't even flinch. "I'll never understand what benefit this holds," she mumbled to herself.

"Isn't important, really." In actuality it was important. She hadn't noticed she was blushing and it scared her to think that Vastra noticed more than she did, even worse was that she didn't know why she was.

Surprisingly the lizard accepted that easily and let the topic drop, she was too interested in what the answer to her question was. "Will you answer me now?" It hadn't registered in her usually sharp mind that her hand was still on Jenny's cheek.

A few short seconds were spent thinking about an answer and the right words to express herself. She quickly came to the conclusion that she wasn't smart enough to come up with anything.

Jenny sighed, took a short breath, carefully moved the scaled hand from her face but kept it in her own hand and kissed her. If only she could have said that she regretted it.

It took a moment for the emotionally stunted one to realise what was going on before responding in the appropriate manner, which is to say, kissing back and taking triumph in the fact that she was, indeed, right.

Jenny had wanted her to kiss her, but she'd only realised recently.

* * *

A/N- Sorry again for the awfully slow updates, I really enjoy writing this but school just keeps getting in the way.

Thanks to all those for reading, you're fabulous.

Special thanks to Into The Vortex, mykabfanx, bluerthanvelvet and Tabby for reviewing.


	4. Chapter 4

When Jenny pulled herself away Vastra found herself trailing after her, looking perplexed.

"You taste like blood," she explained before looking over to the window and feeling a broad smile cross her features.

"And why are you smiling at that?"

"I'm not." At this point she hadn't yet realised that she really shouldn't have kissed her.

"Now, how do I put this...? Ah, Jenny, you're still hugging me- is that the correct term for this gesture, or are you trying to crush me?"

She was? Oh, she was. "Though' you wanted me to warm you up?"

"You said so yourself, I don't need you to."

To Vastra's discontent her human had let go of her and was still grinning in the direction of the window. "I wasn't complaining..." she mumbled and settled herself back down by the fire, toying with the feathers she'd left on the floor.

Jenny, in her excited ignorance, didn't hear her. "Look outside ma'am, it's snowing!"

It prompted a disapproving hiss from green woman who dismissed it as unimportant and closed her eyes to try to relax.

"I love snow, it's so pretty..."

She rolled her eyes beneath their lids and ignored it. Snow was cold and wretched.

For about an hour Jenny looked out at the falling snow, she'd neglected her duties for the time- Vastra couldn't have expected her to do much after- no. Can't think about that in a positive light.

Without allowing the girl to notice the reptile slunk away silently, returning wrapped in what would be a ridiculous amount of layers were she human. She put her hand on her shoulder and drew back quickly with her hands up when Jenny jumped. "Put on some warm clothes," Vastra mumbled none too happily.

"We can't go out ma'am! You'll freeze again." It annoyed her that she felt it her duty to keep her from doing something stupid. Then again, she did really want to go out. No, no Jenny, be responsible, Vastra has a lot of leverage on you.

"Will you come if I said you could bring your sword?" she asked. Vastra knew full well that her maid loved that thing, not once had she turned down an opportunity to spar... Upon reflection the pair might have enjoyed it so much because the two of them normally ended up very close, tired and breathing heavily.

"You're good ma'am, I'll give you that." Finally she gave into temptation and got changed extraordinarily quickly, dressed in the waistcoat and trousers ensemble she always wore when fighting. Maybe they'd stumble upon an exciting case and they'd be really clever and get to do heroic things.

The pair went outside. It was freezing and soft bits of ice kept hitting them. Vastra cringed but stayed silent through the uncomfortable barrage.

It was dark, late at night, but people were outside enjoying the snowfall that was settling fast. None noticed the recluse and the rarely-seen maid.

"Jenny, what are they doing?" She nodded towards a band of young people throwing compacted balls of snow at one another, the concept of which baffled her. Why would anyone throw ice at each other? It would lower their temperature.

Naturally Jenny found her confusion amusing, human life was different through the other's eyes. "I's a snowball fight, ma'am, it 'appens a lot when it snows. It's fun," she explained with her back to her, more focused on the rapidly increasing snowfall.

Focus was returned to the veiled woman when a light thud was felt between her shoulder blades. She shook the snow from her coat and shielded her face when she saw a second snowball in the heavily gloved and insulated hand.

"Don't you dare!" she shouted even as she laughed. "Don't even think about it!"

Madame laughed too and passed the ball to her other hand. "Or what? I'm sure you have a follow up to your warning, you have me shaking in anticipation, but that may just be a result of the temperature."

Jenny opened her mouth to undoubtedly say something profoundly intelligent but quickly closed it when no words came. "My thoughts exactly." She smirked beneath her hood and threw the snowball at her, glad to have it finally stop making her hand cold.  
The Silurian didn't flinch when she felt a weight force her back against the wall. Jenny had pushed her, super effective. "Now now, I know full well you can do better than that." Vastra picked up a third clump of snow and sighed when she felt the coldness of it. "Prove me right."

"No, I'm goin' for a walk, you can come with me if you want," she said before leaving without waiting for an answer.

After a moment of hesitation she followed, she wasn't comfortable with letting Jenny go out alone at night. "Slow down, Flint."

They walked side by side until Vastra tripped. The lizard wasn't fast enough to catch herself thanks to the restrictive layers, Jenny, however, was. "Slow down? You'd freeze if I did."

While in her hold she brushed some of the snow from her shoulders. "You're gonna catch your death out 'ere, we're goin' back."

"I've caught things worse than death before, just ask the Yard."

"Home. Now." And return home they did.

Thanks to the crystalline precipitate Vastra was finding difficult to hate at them moment all of her warmest clothes had become dampened. Her blood was running cold, uncomfortable but it was worse earlier, and she was too engrossed in her and Jenny's conversation to care at that point. It almost seemed too early when they returned home.

"Go in front of the fire, warm yourself up ma'am."

The slowly cooling Vastra obeyed and lay back down by the fire. By fire I really mean the sputtering remains of a few flames.

"Jenny! You need to make the fire!" she called. A few feathers were thrown in, they were quickly reduced to ash and did not help at all.

Clad in her nightwear, Jenny came into the room. She was blissfully unaware of the slack-jawed woman next to her as she stoked the fire and added a couple of dry logs. "That should do you for the night, sleep well ma'am." She left and went straight to bed, it was hardly like her mistress was going to ask her to do any work after the day they'd had.

On to the topic of the Silurian's obvious infatuation. She had no idea why her jaw had, quite literally, hit the floor when she came in. He clothing wasn't, for want of a far better (and less crude) word, revealing- not that she'd want to see her in anything , ahem, revealing. What had stunned her so was how she was so relaxed, she was never perfectly proper usually but the difference was striking, her hair was down and she was just... She was Jenny.

As the two settled to sleep they were both hit with similar thoughts.

Vastra lay at the fire Jenny had made for her and found herself smiling as she thought about how the evening had transpired. Jenny looked out through her window at the continuing snowfall, thinking of the evening too, watching as their footsteps on the doorstep faded as the snow got heavier.

There was one crucial difference in their reactions to one realisation however. The thought merely confused and amused the humanity-inept lizard but caused worry, dread, fear and even the tiniest bit of excitement for Jenny.

They had, somehow, without either of them planning or knowing, begun, in a loose usage of words, begun courting.

* * *

A/N- This chapter was finished fairly quickly thanks to the recent bout of snow to hit my city. That's served as a huge influence

Thank you to all those reading, I hope I'm not disappointing you.

Special thanks to bluerthanvelvet and Athyna DaughterofPosiedon for reviewing.


	5. Chapter 5

Courting? Really? Was that even the right word for it? This was her friend, it wasn't right, she didn't feel the same way. She couldn't have any if those feelings towards someone like her, she probably had some lucky man back where she belonged, not in this house. Not with her.

Bury their emotions, stop this before it begins. They would work as they should, solve crimes as they should and act as they should.

Jenny got out of bed, got dressed and went into the living room. Her friend sat in her chair, enjoying the flames she had fed before her maid had left her room.

"Good morning ma'am," the nervous girl greeted in the most casual fashion.

"Good morning you say? The snow you love so dearly is easily half a foot high, if not more, and it is still falling." Snow is such a wonderful marvel of weather. The reptile curled in on herself to keep warm, she didn't need to though, the thought of snow alone was what was making her feel so cold.

Vastra was coaxed from her balled up position by the scent of tea directly in front of her nose. Jenny had made her tea. She liked Jenny's tea. She liked it when Jenny did things for her without being prompted to.

The drink was sweet and warm, the lizard had a bit of a sweet tooth. Jenny remembered. "Thank you, this is most appreciated."

She left to the kitchen, probably to prepare herself something to eat.

After a time much longer than necessary Jenny came back in and sat on her own, admittedly rarely used, chair with a plate of toast.  
With a sigh, Vastra forced herself to sit up. Her gaze turned to Jenny. "We, I think, need to talk."

Nodding in agreement, her breakfast was pushed away. "I know we do," she cleared her throat, "you go first."

"It has come to my attention that we aren't behaving as we perhaps should be," she didn't believe what she was saying, but she knew it was easier for Jenny to just be kept in their social confines. "And I'm sorry for using that, it wasn't my place and it wasn't in your best interests."

Her chest seized up and her blood ran cold- was this how Vastra felt every day or was it simply a result of the weather? She nodded, what she was saying was right, even if it inexplicably hurt. "Yes ma'am..."

Quickly getting up, Vastra put her hand on the girl's shoulder in a comforting gesture, she didn't look happy and didn't know what else to do. "I'm sorry? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, I did." Her own hand was placed upon the scaled one, both were warm. "I'm going out."

"No you aren't. You're staying inside, it is far too cold outside for you and I'm not letting you freeze." That wasn't the only reason she wasn't letting her go. As far as Vastra was concerned Jenny was hers and she was worried after recent events that she would leave. No, she wouldn't stop her is she wanted to go, but she would reduce the risk of her finding something or, more likely, someone better. "You are relieved of any duties you may have today."

Human fingers gently traced the scaled ones on her shoulder. "Thank you ma'am."

Her thanks was ignored as Vastra's gaze was fixed on the girl's hand and wondered why the small gesture felt so much bigger. "It's alright, my dear."

Jenny swallowed thickly and looked up at the legend she lived with, her eyes seemed dulled and she was just so... down. "Maybe my best interests aren't what I want..."

"Fine, you can go out. Just don't be gone for long."

She really didn't understand, typical. Things like this were probably different where she was from, add that to the fact that Jenny was human and it doesn't make for the best of prospects. But Jenny clearly didn't want anything beyond the very blurred lines if friendship. They were both women, that in itself was wrong, and one worked for the other. "Never mind." Time to put those amorous feelings behind her. It was wrong and it was painfully obvious that Vastra had no interest in her beyond whatever it was between them at that moment. She was wrong, whatever feelings she had towards her employer were hers alone, not reciprocated.

The maid felt a gentle squeeze at her shoulder and a rare smile from the Silurian, she didn't do that often. She felt her smile when she kissed her.

"You had something to say, I've had my turn," the woman above her prompted. Maybe what she had to say could do something to ease the awkwardness.

Vastra, she knew, had a thing for truth. Lying to her would further hurt their friendship, and that wasn't something she was willing to do, then again telling the truth wouldn't be the best route either. Jenny stood up and took the hand that had formerly rested on her shoulder in her own, choosing to look at that rather than into her eyes.

"Oh, I- I see..." she sounded hurt, disappointed. It was the first time Jenny had ever heard her stumble over her words or stutter, it was so unlike her.

Jenny was rejecting her, true she had suggested that the stop this ludicrous charade but she had hoped that maybe, just maybe, she wanted to carry on. Stupid lizard.

"Let me talk, I have to finish before you get mad."

A nod. She was willing to listen.

"You already made it clear that you're no' comfortable, I didn't want or mean to do that." The human's free hand moved to scaled cheek of the woman she was now extraordinarily close to, said scaled cheek seemed to lean into the touch- it was probably just her imagination. "And you don't like whatever it is that's going on. I just wanted to say that you were right about wanting you to kiss me, and I really did want to kiss you." She'd just said that. Out loud. In front of Vastra. She felt faint.

After a long couple of minutes in stunned silence they laughed. There they were, the two of them, laughing at Jenny's clumsy confession before returning to the silent staring.

"Tell me honestly, did you mean that?" she asked, the hand in Jenny's was released for fear of crushing the frail human bones.

"I meant it." The maid smiled at the look she was receiving, the taller woman looked genuinely pleased, even happy.

"And if you were to, I don't know, kiss me again, would you mean that too?" Her head bowed closer to Jenny's.

Blushing brightly she shied away. "Ma'am, are you tryin' to flirt with me?"

"I'm sorry, was I not clear enough? I apparently haven't been very clear for a while."

"You daft old thing," she teased as she leaned up to press the sweetest of chaste kisses to the green, odd textured, lips. She tasted like tea and so many other foreign things.

The pair ended up on Vastra's seat, it was familiar and it felt right. Vastra's knees were drawn up to her torso and her head rested on the other woman's.

It stunned them both, the blatant display of affection. Really it should have been expected, she had been waiting a long time to do all of that.

"Imagine what the Yard would think if they saw us..." To be honest she wasn't worried about what people thought about them, mostly because they were too scared of Vastra to say anything, but she didn't want their reputation tarnished.

"I imagine they would disapprove, I'd be the alien scum the seduced and manipulated you into staying in my home under the guise of being my maid."

"Seduced?!" she laughed, "you, with all due respect, don't seem to be the seducing sort."

Her head quickly snapped up from where it was and she faced her, looming with a predatory smile. "I'll have you know I was rather, hmm, 'sought out' by my own kind."

What was that? Was that jealousy causing the fire at her cheeks? Why did she have to care? "How romantic," she muttered sarcastically.

"Pardon?" Romantic? When did romance come up? Well, if Jenny wanted her to be romantic she probably could be. Maybe.

"'Ave you go' someone waiting for you back home?"

She did have people waiting for her, aside from her dead sisters. Her friends and family would expect her to be there at the end of their induced hibernation. But she knew full well that wasn't what Jenny was asking. Now it was her turn to be honest. "We have a complicated relationship, I doubt either of our families would approve," she could see that the girl was struggling to hide her distress. "She dotes on me more than necessary, protective too-" Jenny cut her off.

"I don't need to hear this." She tried getting up but was pulled back down, it was no use struggling.

"You asked me a question, I intend to answer it." Vastra held her fisted hand. "She's nervous almost all the time around me, or angry, or upset," she laughed to herself and closed her eyes as she thought. "But sometimes she's not, sometimes she forgets that she's hiding. I was afraid I'd lost her at one point, scared her off, she refused to talk to me. I wasn't the ideal mate from the beginning but I hardly helped the situation. Then I confronted her, she didn't know how nervous I was, she probably couldn't tell. After that, well, I can't honesty say that I know where I stand with her at the moment, all I know is that she'll be at home waiting for me to come back, scolding me if it's too late or too cold."

Jenny's hands shook in a mixture of anger and complete despair. Vastra was using her in place of the woman currently sleeping underground, it was fair on neither of them. Then she considered how affairs such as these were probably different in her native society, the whole farce may have been completely normal.

"And she has a frightening range of emotions."

"She's lucky, 'aving you," the trembling brunette mumbled.

Seeing an opportunity, Vastra smirked. "Is she? I'd never thought that. I wasn't particularly kind when we first met, I was near enough indifferent as to whether or not she lived or died."

"I bet she doesn't care."

Pressing further the Silurian adopted a stoicism. "It seems to be the case. What worries me is her unnecessary jealousy."

"Could you blame 'er?!" she snapped unexpectedly, that last remark had really hit home. "You're all smiles and niceness with me one minute and the next you're talkin' about some girl you're sleepin' with back in wherever you're from!"

Stifling laughter she drew her hand back and sat up straight and proper, seeing Jenny all riled up was perhaps the funniest thing see had ever laid eyes upon. "We aren't sleeping together, as you so beautifully put it." Her tone became serious, "And she isn't 'some girl' either, she made me realise a lot of things, one of which was the last key to an especially frustrating case, but that isn't one of the more important things."

"Waig a second ma'am, a case?"

All she got in answer was a simple smile.

And then Vastra received a surprisingly hard punch to the shoulder. "I hate you! Don't do that to me!"

"You know, I'd probably be upset by that if I didn't know that you don't hate me, quite the opposite really."

"Nothin' you said made sense though." Jenny had already forced her into something resembling a hug, though it seemed to be something more along the lines of a very complicated martial arts lock that the scaled woman was making no effort to free herself from.

"When you consider the very human phrase 'home is where the heart is' it does," how wonderful, now she was being soft and, she hid her revulsion, 'cute'.

"Please, never say that again. Ever," it had taken a worrying amount of concentration to say that without her voice being high pitched and sounding very stupid.

The awkward position had made them fall to the floor with Vastra pinning the smaller maid. She grinned. She pecked her lips just because she could and was met with a fervor she was not expecting.

Who'd have thought it? There she was, completely at the mercy of the famed Great Detective, and she would be damned if she wasn't going to indulge. If it were anybody else putting her in such a compromising position she would have kicked and screamed. She trusted her. After the panic she had caused within the poor human she was lucky to have her be so submissive, it was because she was relieved. Her mistress had really worried her when talking about the woman she supposedly cared for, it wasn't the words, it was the way the words were said.

Jenny tried to deepen the kiss but it only resulted in the woman on top of her to turn wide-eyed and halt their activity. "Jenny, I can't."

This left her awfully confused, she was perfectly willing to just moments ago. "Beg your pardon?"

The Silurian turned bashful. "I... I don't want to hurt you."

Hurt her? How could she possibly hurt her? They both knew that it was hardly on her to-do list.

Noticing her confusion she explained, "I hate to be so blunt about it. My tongue," she stuck it out to illustrate, but only so it appeared to be a similar length to a human's, "can release a venomous substance, I fear I would not be able to," she cleared her throat, wishing that this conversation was not happening, "control myself. I would prefer not to be the cause of your death, especially after an activity like this..."

Jenny turned bright red again, a very small part of her was sort of proud that she had that kind of power over someone like Vastra. Another part, the more rational part- and also the part that insisted that she didn't enjoy a second of Vastra's company- was telling her how wrong the situation was and that she should accept what was explained and drop the subject. And the last part, the part of her that had been the driving force behind her finally accepting that she really did care for her lady, told her that Vastra was just being over-cautious. "Then just take it slowly," she breathed and reconnected their lips.

All went smoothly until both of them were startled by a knock at the door, so much so that Vastra jumped and bit her tongue, yelping. She swore in her own language and got up, nobody should ever call in this sort of weather. Jenny was left on the floor, still rather dazed, and Vastra opened the door, a very rare occurrence indeed. She was annoyed that she'd had to put on her veil just to greet someone foolish enough to be outside in the cold.

The man there was one she didn't recognise. "I was told to ask for a Miss Jennifer Flint, she can pass a message to Madame Vastra, right?" He was clearly nervous, she did have an imposing air about her even with her face covered. "Th-the inspector sent me here, Scotland Yard business, all very hush hush he said." He held out an envelope addressed to her.

Quickly the letter was snatched from his hand, she was already feeling the cold and wanted him to go. "Next time, simply put it through the door," she hissed, deliberately making it clear that she wasn't what she appeared to be. Before he could so much as say the first syllable of an apology she had closed the door, already moving towards the fire.

"Who was that?" she asked, unmoving from her surprisingly comfortable spot on the floor.

"How should I know?" The always-eager detective tore into the letter but all enthusiasm left her when she read through it. "I solved this one days ago."

* * *

A/N- I'm really unhappy with this chapter, do stick around because I have big plans, this whole chapter is just a bridge.

Special thanks to Tabby, two guests, loverofmalec and Into The Vortex for taking the time to review.


	6. Chapter 6

Months later, with the snow gone and the chill fading, life was good. Jenny was the happiest she'd been in a very long time and Vastra couldn't remember any occasion before being so rudely awoken that she was this content with life. Of course, waking up to find her maid-turned-lover next to her was always a bonus. Unfortunately for the Silurian, however, it was a rarity that she did wake up to her. Jenny almost always woke up before her bedmate.

The time she slept in till gave Jenny hours of free time that were full of mind-numbingly dull menial tasks. She'd check on the sleeping woman from time to time, hoping that her presence alone would somehow rouse her.

"Ma'am, it's two in the afternoon, you need to ea'," the maid whispered, not wanting to wake her from her peaceful state.

"Why aren't you in bed?" was the half-slurred reply. She clearly wasn't getting up any time soon.

Jenny rolled her eyes, she was never allowed to be lazy. That was a lie, she didn't have to do any of the housework if she didn't want to, Vastra never said that she had to. In fact, it had gotten to the point that she would much rather spend their days in bed and their nights investigating what Scotland Yard was too stupid to do themselves. "Because, as I just said, it's two in the afternoon."

"Suit yourself," she grumbled and pulled the sheets tighter around her, already missing her heater since been made aware of her absence.

"I didn't spend an 'our 'acking at raw meat for you to sleep in!" It was true, she spent most of her morning in the pantry with a meat cleaver, just to cut Vastra's food into manageable sizes.

"Ah, so that's why you smell of blood, I must admit, I had begun to fear the worst." Anyone else would have mistaken that for concern. It was not. She was teasing her.

"You don't let me get blood on me, you keep me behind you," Jenny muttered.

"You're trained to defend yourself, and assist me, not to put yourself in harms way," she yawned, partially exposing her tongue, and opened her eyes, "or did you forget that?" Sitting up, she looked at her with concern.

"Sorry Madame."

"While you are talented in many fields I don't think you're quite capable of being that formal with me. Tell me, what's the matter, my dear?"

"Can we spar latter?" she blurted out quickly. They hadn't done that in a while and she missed it.

"If you want to... Why are you so tense?"

"Something to do with not swingin' a sharp stick of metal at you." Her mood was lifted when she heard Vastra laugh.

"Watch your tongue, Miss Flint, I would hate to have to take in a new maid in your place. I doubt she'd take my interest as much as you have." Vastra was more open with her feelings towards Jenny, it was her saying things like that that confirmed what they both already knew but doubted.

"Chances are she'd tell you to hold your tongue, at least I put up with it." A stack of neatly folded clothes were placed on the bed. "Now do yourself a service and get dressed."

Vastra sighed as she got out of bed and got dressed, tutting to herself when Jenny turned to face another way. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"Because I went out, no point in bothering to."

She hated it when she wasn't told about Jenny's comings and goings, she didn't often let her go out alone. Jenny was vulnerable and Vastra was not. It was only logical to go with her. "There is a point to it. Have you ever considered that I actually enjoy spending time with you?"

"You were sleeping," she answered over her shoulder, sneaking a glance to see if she could turn back to face her. No, not at all disappointed to find that she could. "An' all you ever do is complain about it."

"Why do you do that?" She prodded the human's face. "You never look at me when you're pretending to work. Why?"

There was a time when she might have been offended by the 'observation' but she knew she didn't mean anything by it. It was hard to call what Jenny did work. Jenny cooked, cleaned, handled the money, et cetera; but these tasks were taken on because she wanted to do them... and because her partner was god awful at them. She and Vastra had fallen into a routine and both had roles in their, ahem, relationship. Their life, including Jenny's maid work, was more like that of a couple's, a life they both enjoyed.

"Are you being ignorant now? There was a time when you'd be oh so eager to engage me in conversation," she paused for a moment, long enough for Jenny to look at her. "I miss that. Now you're acting like you're only my maid, it's frustrating."

"I am your maid though." Technically, this was true. She could also have been called a slave, seen as she wasn't paid anymore, but she could have left at any time. She was a lot closer to her lady than a typical maid was, then again they did often investigate murders and anything remotely extra-terrestrial with a sword in at least one of their hands.

"Then I'm laying you off. You don't work for me anymore, happy now?"

"No, you'd be lost without a maid, someone 'as to do the work 'round 'ere."

"We could hire another one, we have the money. You wouldn't have to do so much work and we can-"

"No!" she said, nobody but her was going to run the house and nobody was going to get that close to Vastra. For security reasons. "I mean, no, you aren't 'iring a new maid."

"But we need one since the job opened up."

"Listen to me Vastra. No new maid, not now not ever, understand?"

Chuckling, she put an arm around her, resting her forehead atop the other woman's. "Is somebody jealous?"

"One maid got close to you, imagine what another one could do."

"Somebody also needs reassuring that I don't keep her around just because she was my maid. I would hope that she knows that."

"Do you want something ma'am? Or are you sick?"

"Must I want something to be even remotely nice to you? My reasons are beyond just that and you should know it," there was a clear annoyance in her tone, Jenny was having one of her moods.

"I'm going to choose not to answer that, anything you wan' is rarely fit for words," she smirked up at the taller lizard.

"How lady-like." She smirked back. "Are you implying that you don't enjoy it, my dear?"

"I never said that, now did I, my darlin'?"

"Oh hush. Now answer my question."

She sighed, knowing what her reaction would be to her response. "I' ain't proper."

She hissed, not at Jenny herself but at her words. "That hardly matters anymore!"

"Calm down, I didn't mean it like that."

The human was released from Vastra's hold, much to the disappointment of them both. "Get changed, that dress is far too restrictive," she mumbled, still upset by the implication of their relationship being 'improper'.

"You like a challenge though." And instantly, Vastra's annoyance was lifted.

"Do I really?"

"I suppose you're right, you love a challenge." Jenny froze up when the words came out, that was far to close to a confession of genuine amorous feelings.

Vastra, on the other hand, was much more comfortable with it and didn't mind. "Hmm, yes, yes I do."

The shyer of the two left to get changed, leaving Vastra satisfied with her work. She left too, minutes after her partner, and went to the kitchen. The meat Jenny had prepared for her was where she had said it would be and just how she liked it: fresh, raw, and bloody.

Jenny entered the kitchen, as she often did, to find Vastra with half a piece of meat hanging out of her mouth and a mixture of pig and cow blood almost covering her face. She cleared her throat to let her presence be known, making Vastra turn and the rogue piece fall to the floor.

"...I'll clean that up," Madame said somewhat ashamedly as she futilely wiped her face.

Already dampening a cloth, Jenny sighed, beginning to re-think her life. She wiped Vastra's face in the direction of her sales so not to pull them. A hand slowly moved to the human's waist but was halted when Jenny snapped at her to stop. "Your 'ands are filthy, you aren't staining my clothes."

"I suppose I can't kiss you either," she replied almost sulkily. Vastra, being so influenced by her facade of high-society, did not like being told what to do. Being told what to do by a human was just insulting. But Jenny wasn't just a human to her. Jenny was smart, an excellent swordswoman when given the chance, she understood Vastra, and, well, she didn't see her for the monster the rest of London did. She saw her to be her equal.

"If you used a bloody knife an' fork we wouldn't 'ave this problem."

"You've seen worse." It was true, Jenny had seen many things during her time with her lady, things literally out of this world.

The maid finished cleaning the blood from the Silurian's face and grimaced at the stains left on the cloth. "Why do I put up with you?"

"I don't know." Madame took the bloodied cloth and wiped her hands. The green scales, Jenny observed, allowed the red liquid to bead and pool effortlessly without leaving a trail. She thought her skin was like chips of marble; and yet it surprisingly soft and sensitive. "What are you looking at."

"Nothing... I just forget sometimes." She didn't forget, not anymore, she was always aware of her inhumanity and how she should be disgusted by their relationship.

"Forget what?" In many respects Vastra felt similarly to Jenny. She knew that her relationship with a mammal was beyond wrong, to admit that she didn't care how wrong it was was even worse. The two of them seemed to be stuck. Neither could live in the other's world. Jenny was a mammal and therefore instantly hated by Silurians, and Vastra, being a Silurian herself, was regarded as a demon, as Jenny's assailant had said. Both were exceptions to rules of their species, neither wanted to deviate from the norm. But they did. They continued to. And they enjoyed it.

"Us, just us."

Vastra nodded. Most of the blood had been wiped off of her hands but she was not above licking the last dregs away, Jenny would have been disturbed once upon a time.

Scaled hands pulled at the material around Jenny's neck. Vastra had insisted that a tie looked good on her, apparently only when tied by her though. Had she been given the choice she would rather have Jenny wear the clothes they wore when sparring and doing their detective things around the house instead of her maid uniform. She rolled her eyes when Vastra tutted at the ill-tied knot.

"Are you really incapable of tying anything other than a very poor four-in-hand knot?" she teased as she twisted and overlapped the expensive fabric, deliberately brushing trimmed claws over the exposed skin.

"Maybe I choose not to just to spite you," she started, though paused when she felt herself being pulled upwards. "Or maybe it's so you can do it for me."

"I always knew you were dependent on me." It was true. She was dependent on her. Without Vastra Jenny would be homeless, without security, and vulnerable.

"Hmm, you're right..." She brought her arms around her mistress' neck. "As always."

They smiled at each other. It wasn't often Vastra smiled. Jenny smiled as she worked, as she watched Vastra deduce, sometimes at nothing in particular.

The maid let go and grabbed her hand instead.

"I believe we were having a moment, I know I didn't do anything wrong this time," she complained, much like a petulant child who had just been denied their favourite toy, which is essentially what she was.

"We were, and you didn't, but you also said we could spar."

"Fine, fine, if we must." She glanced down at their hands, enjoying how it was Jenny to initiate it. "On one condition."

"And what condition is that?" It took an alarming amount of will not to grin or smirk.

"Don't look at me like that. Are all apes like you?" There was a certain way her features shifted when she put on her mask of faux-disapproval that Jenny loved.

"I shan't think so, I don' know of many others who've bedded someone like you."

"Is that one if your, forgive me, twisted compliments?"

"It's whatever you want it to be, ma'am. Now, your condition?"

"Ah, yes," damn Jenny and her god-given gift of flustering her, "you're not allowed to do any of your maid duties for a week."

"But what about the laundry?! And the cleaning?!" she protested, but her words fell upon deaf ears, so she planned to simply to do her work as her lizard slept. It was the perfect crime. "Okay, deal."

They then walked, still hand-in-hand, to their makeshift training room. The room was perhaps originally intended to be a second living room, judging from the size of it alone, but it served their needs rather well. Most of their swords were stored in there. Jenny's lay propped up in the corner and bound by a thick cloth. The interesting thing about Jenny's sword was that it was Vastra's once, as were the rest, but it was unlike the others. It was her favourite. Originally she had tried to gift her with the blade that had dispatched her attackers, but she refused on account of the memories it carried. That one was hidden away in Vastra's study, in a place where Jenny was unlikely to see it.

"Your love for steel is almost alarming."

"My love for a few things is alarming." The moment she realised what she had said she blushed and looked up at Vastra like a deer in headlights, only to be met by a flash of white teeth. No more talking.

No comment was made on the matter, in fact she let it go. Instead she untangled their fingers to retrieve her own swords, leaving Jenny to numbly fetch her own.

* * *

A/N- Sorry for the slow update. Again, unhappy with this one. It's way too long and really drags. Seriously though, stuff actually happens in the next chapter (shock horror, I know).

Special thanks to Amelia E Grey, Willowrs, mykabfanx, xXx-M-L-xXx, bluerthanvelvet and Into The Vortex for reviewing.


	7. Chapter 7

Inhuman hands flexed around the twin hilts of her swords, so use to them they were, it felt natural. While one was used to steel and the balanced weight the other was still vaguely foreign to it.

They, when sparring, used the flat edges of their katanas ever since Vastra had accidentally left a scar or two on Jenny. But Jenny, being as she was, never complained about it, always saying that she was okay.

When given a sword Jenny was different; she was confident, strong, and able to defend herself. Madame had once said that she would have made an excellent Silurian, a statement Jenny had conflicted feelings about. The was never a time, nor would there be, that Jenny would even so much as consider saying that Vastra would have made a good human. She wouldn't have. That may have been one of the reasons she liked her, she was exotic.

Grabbing her own sword, Jenny relaxed as she remembered and retraced what she had been taught. Her change in posture and stance had become unconscious, instinctive, it made her tutor proud.

"Don't expect me to be lenient, I'm a threat to you." Spoken like a warrior.

"Wouldn't for a second, ma'am," came her reply, it was confident and just a little bit taunting. It was rare Jenny beat her, Vastra did have far more experience and formal training after all.

Jenny attacked first, blocked as she expected to be. Vastra made it look easy, barely using any strength to keep the maid at bay. From her position she was undefended and open to a kick to the stomach, managing to knock the girl down, wind her, and leave her almost totally stunned.

Vastra left her for a brief period to let her catch her breath before sheathing one sword to free her hand so she could extend it to the human on the floor. It was grabbed instantly.

All possible paths to revenge played out in the girl's mind as she recovered, she had thought about pulling her too to the floor, but Jenny lacked the strength.

Jenny was devious, Jenny was clever. When she was pulled back to her feet she clutched her ribs and held her head as if they were causing her pain.

Despite the pretend pain Jenny attacked again, Vastra dodged as she knew she would, and grabbed her wrist to halt her altogether; she knew she'd do that too.

Jenny's nostrils flared as she continued to fake her pain, it was that or allow a sly smirk when she eyed the still-sheathed sword at her mistress' hip.

"Something is wrong with y-" her statement was cut short by some muffled profanity when a sharp pain was felt in the arm holding Jenny's wrist. Jenny bit her!

The shock of being bitten made her drop her other sword, causing a sharp crashing sound when it hit the floor. Jenny had never done anything like that before... was she angry at her? No, impossible. There had to be some other reason.

"Only thing wrong with me, ma'am, is you," she teased, deciding that anything Vastra did in retaliation was well worth it just to see her stunned expression.

Jenny tried to grab Vastra's sword from her hip scabbard, unfortunately for her, her speed didn't match the lizard's own. Vastra drew her sword to keep it from her and inadvertently clipped Jenny's palm with the sharp edge.

Jenny tried to ignore the pain and kept quiet about it, only using one hand to wield her sword. She became increasingly uncomfortable when she saw the daze Vastra seemed to have gone in to.

"Vastra? You okay?" she looked around, "d'you need anythin?"

"I hurt you," her voice was flat, showing very little emotion. Her voice didn't carry the sensation of guilt she currently felt, she protected Jenny rather than hurt her. Hurting her was not something she wanted to do. Hurting her would make her upset, if she was upset she would hate her, if she hated her she would leave.

"You've seen me take worse, I'm fine," she reassured. It was true, she had seen her worse- the first time she saw her she was at her worst.

"But your hand... your ribs and head too."

"Just my 'and ma'am, nothing to worry about."

"Don't play games with me _ape._" Now her temper was acting up, her temper was acting up and she was taking it out on Jenny, not something she wanted to do.

"Calm down dear, that isn't what I meant, I just fought dirty like you did. An', for the record, it really did 'urt when you kicked me."  
Vastra noticeably relaxed, anger replaced with an odd sense pride. Her human was learning from her. Then the pride went away and she felt bad for hurting her- stupid reptile. "You bit me, we're even. Now give me your hand."

Jenny obliged the request without question. "It's starting to sting a bit."

The Silurian grabbed her wrist again and held it tightly, using her strength to limit the blood flow. "This will begin to hurt but you will bleed less."

"Sorry ma'am."

"Whatever for? I'm not the one bleeding all over the floor- and no, you will not be cleaning that up," she replied while leading her to her study. She kept many things that she probably shouldn't have had in there. What Torchwood didn't know couldn't hurt them. It probably could but nothing too awful had happened yet.

"It's my own fault, I wanted to get you for kicking me, it may not 'ave gone to plan." She ignored the bit about cleaning.

"You did, but please don't pretend to be injured, others are not as merciful as I am."

"But you are, so I don't 'ave to worry about tha- ma'am!" Vastra squeezed her wrist tighter, enough for it to hurt.

"Then stop with the cheek, you're supposed to be my maid." She didn't mean it of course, she was just letting her temper get the better of her.

"Vastra! You know I was only playing, don't take it so personal!"

"You're infuriating!"

"I've not done anything!"

"You got hurt. Stop being frail."

"Is this about my 'and?" she asked, knowing the answer when she didn't receive one. "I'm fine, if that's what you're worried about."

"I'm not worried about you," she lied, she didn't like lying to Jenny, hated it in fact.

"Is it because I bit you?"

She rolled her eyes, Jenny was an ungodly amount of work. "Certainly not, don't do that again though," she said while looking at the spot on her arm that had been bitten. "Though I had feared you'd become rabid."

"Ma'am, you're crushing my wrist." Jenny tried to pull herself from Vastra's painful hold of her.

"So me preventing you from excessively bleeding is worse than the gaping wound in your hand?" Gaping may have been an exaggeration, it could be stitched but that was more for the benefit of Vastra than Jenny.

"I'm trying not to focus on that."

"Good. Good." Vastra offered her a pencil.

"What's that for?" She took it despite her confusion.

"Bite down on it, not on me, it will help." So she did, without question, because if Vastra said to do something she knew it was normally the smart thing to do it.

There was no small amount of alarm clear on Jenny's face when a surgical needle was threaded and her hand released. "Don't look so worried, I'm not going to hurt you. Again. I promise." She took her wrist again and held it as tightly as she had before. "I'm going to clean the cut now, okay?" she waited for Jenny to nod. Vastra was actually quite worried, she only had one method of properly cleaning a wound to hand and it was not ideal. She licked her palm, almost making Jenny retch and spit out the pencil. "Stay still!" She'd said a long time ago that Jenny was small and unappetising, she was wrong, she tasted like every other human she had eaten. Come to think of it, she hadn't had a meal like that in a while. Though Vastra enjoyed the taste, the experience wasn't pleasant for either of them. Jenny felt disturbed and Vastra didn't want to make her feel like that. Jenny wasn't just another human or a meal, but she had the potential to be and that scared the Silurian to no end.

She didn't bother to wipe her face before stitching the flesh back together. The pencil was almost bit in two and it was only three stitches. Though the situation was made far more comfortable for Jenny when Vastra kissed her palm when she had finished stitching and wrapped a bandage around her hand. It was the little things that she found endearing.

Perhaps Vastra could have made a good human.

"'Ow come you know 'ow to fix me up?"

She slapped Jenny's good hand away from picking at the gauze. "It helps to have a working knowledge of these things when a human is in your care."

She wiped the scaled face with her sleeve. "You expect me to get 'urt?"

"I would rather know how to make you better than have you die because I couldn't be bothered to learn about your species."

She laughed quietly to herself. "I's good to know you care."

"I would have thought that was obvious."

Jenny smiled, at least one of them was open about it.

"Why don't you call me by my name when you're working?"

"Isn't the done thing."

"Jenny, don't be alarmed, _I'm_ not the done thing. Honestly, you people are so primitive."

She gasped in faux-shock. "And 'ere I was, thinking the scales was normal."

"It is normal, you forget that your skin is just as odd to me as mine is to you."

"It isn't odd, that ain'-"

"Isn't."

She stuck her tongue out at her, that showed her good and proper. "Isn't the right word."

"Then what is?"

"I don' know, I'm no' good with words like you are."

"I don't know about that, I like how you speak, not so much the accent but beggars can't often be choosers." She straightened Jenny's tie as she spoke. Couples got close, that's what she'd do.

Jenny tried not to blush, she always found it hard when Vastra deliberately got close to her. "I know, it's bloody awful."

"You get used to it, I know you can't help it, I blame the people here."

"Well... you're green." It wasn't much of anything to be honest, it was the only criticism she could think of; and it was hardly a criticism at all, more stating a fact.

"You've never complained about that before."

No she hadn't. Her being a reptile wasn't as important as her being her, Jenny did see the scales and the claws, but she also thought they were beautiful. Bright eyes, good face shape, everything.

"If my reptilian disposition disturbs you, do tell me."

"You should know that you don' scare me by now." She felt she needed to illustrate her point and hugged her, leaving Vastra confused.

"Are you really so desperate for my affections?" She smirked but it faded when met with a less-than-impressed look from Jenny. "Not desperate, eager? No... Never mind that. If you want me to, I'll do all those horribly human things you enjoy doing so much-" she glowered at the slightly appalled look she was now receiving, "Jenny!"

"I wasn't the one who said it." She rested her head on he shoulder. "You need to learn when and how to say certain things."

"Or maybe you should learn how to not look for anything vulgar beneath what I say, hmm?"

"Shut up, daft lizard."

"Hush, stupid mammal."

Jenny's bandaged hand idly brushed against Vastra's neck. The gauze was rough and the contrast between skin and material was not one she was used to, it made her cringe, blaming herself.

"You know this wasn't your fault, don't you?"

She nodded. She didn't know it wasn't her fault though, she wanted to be the last person to cause her any degree of harm, but she'd damaged the girl beyond repair a long time ago. "I still shouldn't have let it happen."

"Come with me." She released her and urged her out of the study and half-dragged her to the hallway.

"Jenny, I'm not going out today."

"You've done nothing for a long time now ma'am." She held her hand loosely. "Remember when you brought me here?"  
Of course she remembered, it wasn't something one forgot in a hurry. "Don't do this to yourself," the taller warned.

"You only see me back then, not me right now."

"Don't pretend it doesn't affect you, don't lie to me or yourself." Always so blunt.

"I go' you ma'am, s'all I need, I'll be fine."

At her words she drew her in close and rested her chin on top of Jenny's head. "You place me on too high a pedestal, my dear."

"I 'ave my reasons, you think too 'ighly of me too."

"You're the only ape worthy of my time, no other human can say that."

She dismissed the use of 'ape' in favour of the tone she had used and the fact that is was meant as a compliment. "No other 'uman would put up with you."

"And no other Silurian would put up with you either."

"Oh I don't know about that, one might need a maid."

"You're already employed."

"I might find a job with better... benefits."

The detective glared at nothing in particular. "No you wouldn't, and you wouldn't want to either."

"And why d'you say that?" It was no accident that she stood on her toes and leaned upwards.

"Because very few of us are as partial to a small human female as I am."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Less competition."

"I'm not a prize."

"True, but I'm lucky to have a good maid who doesn't run in fear at the sight of me."

"Don' know why they run."

"For the same reason you wanted to, I'm a reptile, I kill people, and I'm green."

"That isn't so bad..." she trailed off, neither of them liked to discuss how strange the two of them were, especially to each other.

"Your hair feels like clothes," she mumbled in a pathetic attempt to change the subject. When she said clothes she meant the expensive touchy-feely kind. Humans did make some nice clothing.

"'Ave you been sneaking some gin?"

"I don't have to be drunk to compliment you."

"Your compliment's are the 'ighlights of my days."

She looked at her, completely serious, and held both of her hands. "I know. You have made it perfectly clear that I am the driving force behind your existence."

Jenny didn't even roll her eyes. "Anything you say."

* * *

A/N- It's taken me so long to update, I'm sorry. I know I said stuff was gonna actually happen in this chapter but it seems I lied, again I apologise. Things actually happen next chapter, I swear.

Thanks for sticking around, you're gorgeous.

Special thanks to ProfessorTabby, VastraEldredJenny, and bluerthanvelvet for taking the time to read.


	8. Chapter 8

Later the same day, when the sky was dark and most civilians in their homes, there was a knock at the door. A caller in later hours was not uncommon for them, nor was the urgency.

As soon as there was a knock at the door Jenny had been told to make whomever it was a drink- 'so much for not working,' she had thought. Give the client a drink, don't talk, keep scarce, all things Jenny had to do to fulfil her role.

Jenny opened her door. The man on the other side's face contorted into an expression of disdain, possibly at Jenny's lack of appropriate attire for she had neglected to change her clothes since she and Vastra sparred.

"Evenin' sir, what can I 'elp you with?"

"You don't look anything like what Abberline said." The man was clearly ill-informed, probably a good thing.

"Fred sent you 'ere?" It was never good if the inspector wanted them. "Come in." She ushered him in and guided him to a seat. Tea was offered but politely refused.

"Is," he took a piece of paper from his pocket and squinted at it, "Madame..."

He looked as if he needed some help. "Vastra, Madame Vastra."

"Is Madame Vastra available?" he finally managed to say. "What sort of name is 'Vastra' anyway? Ain't a normal name."

"Isn't," she corrected flatly.

He shrugged, "either way."

"I'll just go get 'er." She left the man alone in the sitting room. Jenny always hated how clients waited in there, it was their space, for the two of them, not just some place for some stranger to waltz about.

She didn't bother knocking before walking in on Vastra, who was already wearing one of her robes. "There's a drink for you downstairs."

"As well as a man sent by the inspector, I heard," she said as she pulled her hood up. Jenny adjusted it, like she always had to.

"You always pull it too tight, you make it 'ard to be inconspicuous."

"I think you forget that the first thing people notice about me is hardly the shape of my skull."

When she had made sure Madame's face couldn't be seen she smiled and smoothed out some of the creases in the fabric. "Much better."

"You try wearing this, you'll soon see how terrible these things are."

"It looks better on you, probably wouldn't fit me either."

"You are quite a bit too small."

"Can't exactly 'elp that, ma'am."

With a gentle shove Jenny was made to leave the room with Vastra.

"Why d'you think he's 'ere?" she asked in a whisper as they went downstairs.

"I imagine, if he really has been sent at the request of Abberline, I'm needed."

The two of them entered the living room, their entrances were never grand- it was their home so any flair for the dramatic was often dismissed as unnecessary. Usually. Sometimes. Though they entered with no fuss Jenny didn't think she'd ever tire of seeing the expressions people made when Vastra was about, even with her hood and veil on.

A cup was placed in front of the disguised detective and Jenny retreated to the corner, it wasn't proper to get in the way.

Even with her face hidden Vastra was intimidating, even scary. Her effect was not lost on the man. "My maid tells me you have been sent here by the Cheif Inspector, I do hope I haven't been misinfo-" she was interrupted, she didn't like being interrupted. He better have had a pretty damn good reason for doing so, otherwise she would need some way of relieving her anger. She was brought back to reality by Jenny coughing in the background, arms crossed and annoyed at her mistress' impatience. For all Vastra complained about humans Jenny could have written books about how frustrating a certain Silurian was.

"With all do respect," see? He was doing his best to be polite, he obviously wasn't rude by nature, "he told me to get you quick, said it was an emergency he did."

Another thing Vastra didn't like was being ordered around, she would be having some stern words with Mr. Abberline, she was not some service that would come running at every beck and call. "Jenny, get Parker to ready the carriage, tell him I'll pay him extra for the inconvenience."

"'E's probably asleep though, I don't wanna disturb 'im..."

'Did she always have to be so considerate?' she thought, it was usually a nice trait but it did get in the way sometimes.

"The inspector told me to bring you, you can come with me, he shouldn't mind," the man suggested.

Vastra decided that she didn't like this man, he kept looking at Jenny, and at all of her other things.

Jenny answered for her, "that'd be lovely, thanks." She curtsied before leaving. "I'll get the swords, shall I?"

She dismissed her maid with a flick of her gloved hand.

The man looked amazed, like a child who had just been to a sweet shop for the first time. "You really have swords? I thought the inspector was just havin' me on!"

And her interest was piqued. "What, pray tell-" interrupted again. Really? Life was hard for her.

This time it was Jenny to interrupt her. The girl returned to the room and looked quite encumbered. She was carrying Vastra's swords and scabbards as well as her own. "For the love of- just come here." She had to get up to take her things from her, shortly after she made sure that Jenny was capable of holding one thing she had to leave again only to put on the leather band that held her katanas. This was exactly why she hated having to disguise herself all the time. And she couldn't put her hood right. "Jenny!"

Jenny sighed and cast an apologetic look to the man left alone in the living room. "What is it?"

"Hood."

'Was that it?' Vastra was almost worryingly reliant on Jenny for even the most basic things. Then again, it did work both ways. "Can we get going now ma'am?"

"Eager to get back to the good man in our living room are we?"

"Are my intentions really that clear?"

Vastra offered her arm and it was almost instantly interlinked with Jenny's far warmer limb. "You would be harder to read if you spoke exactly what you thought."

"Then what am I thinking right now?"

"I'm not a mind reader, but judging from how I am in the room I'd say it was something to do with how much you admire and respect me, among other things."

"Shut your mouth, people will talk if they hear you," she said, overlooking the fact that their arms were linked and looking delightfully improper. Madame always got annoyed, maybe a little bit upset, when Jenny made it clear how she'd rather the people they interacted with think there was some big unmovable class division between them and nothing besides the odd hot drink being passed from the maid to the lady ever disturbed that boundary. It could have been hurtful, but, as any good Silurian should, she placed herself and her ideals above any human- Jenny didn't count as a human- because humans were primitive creatures with no concept of anything other than how brilliant they thought themselves to be.

In the very short time it took to open the door, Vastra thought. Her thoughts were quick, quicker than most humans. Her thoughts were mainly focused on Jenny, who was the topic of her thoughts a lot more than she would ever admit. Jenny, in Vastra's eyes, wasn't human. She had all the features and qualities that made her so horribly and horrifically human, but she was different. What set her apart, or at least, what Vastra thought set her apart, was that she knew how pathetic she was, how fragile and incompetent, frail and without purpose, that she would never really leave any mark on the planet her kind had so selfishly stolen without any apology.

And still the lion, in this case an intelligent bipedal reptile, laid with the lamb. The lamb if course being the human said lion had come to favour only under the pretence that their relationship wasn't technically wrong by cultural standards because she had forced herself to pretend the lamb wasn't one of the flock that done the more vicious and dangerous species such wrongs.

Yet, and it was a big yet, she hated thinking those thoughts. By thinking them it soured the feelings, and the feelings were meant to bring gratification, or something along those lines.

Trapped by her pondering she, in a very undetective-y manner, had managed to somehow fail to realise that they were now back in the living room.

"Jenny, how long have you been waiting for me?" she asked when brought back to awareness by having her arm shaken and the soft repeating sound of 'ma'am? You alright ma'am?'. Admittedly, being dragged into reality by Jenny's concern was not an unpleasant awakening.

"A couple minutes ma'am, got Greg an' me worried." Who was Greg? The only other person- oh! Oh. So they'd acquainted themselves. Vastra, childishly and possessively, disliked her maid associating herself with other people without having her to facilitate and intervene.

The man, now named, shrugged. "Didn't want Abberline to get annoyed, had to make sure you're okay."

Vastra ignored him. "You were worried?"

Of course she was worried, but she couldn't say exactly why, not with Greg about. "I'd be out of the job if something happened to you."

"You sure you're alright to come? I mean, Miss Flint here looks like she'd be fine, but you're..." he waved to their arms, assuming they were only like that because the young maid was charged with dragging the old widowed rich woman about. "You're looking a bit tired."

He was trying to get his dirty ape paws on Jenny. Her Jenny. She bit back any comment she had, knowing anything she said would either embarrass, annoy, or upset her.

"Madame will be fine, she's not as weak as she looks."

Vastra unlinked their arms, leaving Jenny to hold her arms behind her back awkwardly. "Can we go now? We've wasted enough time already."

"'Course, you're right- you won't tell the inspector it's my fault will you?" Greg asked.

He was silenced by Vastra leaving to go outside. "It is cold and I am in no mood to dilly dally. Get the job done Jenny, now."

Jenny sat next to Vastra in the police carriage, if it could be called sitting. Jenny had been up for hours and couldn't handle long days as well as her partner could. The day, though she had done very little, had left her tired and she was just about ready to turn in, so much so that dignity no longer mattered and she was heavily leaning on her, looking very comfortable.

The journey, in fact, wasn't comfortable, either the driver was drunk or it was poorly made. Vastra had to put her arm around her human to make sure she wasn't at risk. And because she was warm. And because she wasn't objecting for once.

"Pardon me, but should she really come? She doesn't look up to it."

"She's just tired, boy, she's fine," she said, looking at Jenny who was only semi-conscious. "I'll wake her up when we get there."

Greg frowned at the strange pair in front of him. "What d'you look like under that hood? I've heard a lot of different things."

Beneath the aforementioned hood she sighed, she'd show him if it weren't for the fact that Jenny would disapprove of frightening him. "I was in an accident a long time ago, it left me horribly disfigured, I wear this so those around me aren't disgusted," she lied and made Jenny nudge her.

"Huh..." The answer seemed to satisfy him. "Is that why you hired her? 'Cause she's pretty?"

That was a bit offensive, Jenny looked like any other human, the only reason she could tell her apart from others was because she saw her every day. Mammals weren't attractive. "That has nothing to do with anything."

"So she hasn't got a fella?"

The two of them almost laughed, the poor man was clearly blind. "No, she hasn't got a 'fella'."

"Is she free at all next week?"

"I'm afraid not, and no, she won't be available in the future. I wouldn't advise anyone to approach her while she is under my employ, we have an agreement that she is committed to her job before... before whatever your relationships are like."

"What about when she's not working?"

Jenny had to stifle a giggle when she felt Vastra tense out of annoyance and jealousy.

"She's unavailable for a while, we have a case that's taking us to Africa." It wasn't technically a lie, just an altered truth. Greg was interested in her property so, in the time it took to have their conversation she decided they would have to go away, somewhere nice. "We're having to stay in Egypt for..." she looked down at Jenny, "two weeks. We'll have to look at the monuments, for the case of course, then we'll have to go on some sort of journey down the river."

"What next, ma'am? After that?"

Even Jenny rolled her eyes, it was sweet at first but there was a limit. "It'd be easier to jus' tell 'im, ma'am."

"You know, as well as I do, that isn't true."

Greg sighed and looked out. "Nearly there now."

"An' where we going exactly?" Jenny asked, now far less tired.

"Whitechapel road."

Both of them knew the place and both of them hated it. It was too dirty for Vastra's liking and Jenny, after what had happened to her and hearing the rumours of the area all throughout her life, was actually a tad fearful of the area.

* * *

A/N- Sorry for the ultra-slow updates. I'll be honest, one of the greatest things happened to me, and that thing was Mass Effect.

Thanks to Paint Splat, mykabfanx, Amelia E. Grey, xXx.-M. , loverofmalec, VastraEldredJenny, DCdreamer55, and Millie for leaving a review.


	9. Chapter 9

"Jenny, stay close," Vastra instructed and, as per usual, Jenny heeded her words. It was obvious what had happened, she could smell it, she suspected Jenny could too. What was once (and occasionally still) a pleasant scent made her watchful of the human she'd come to care for above herself. Keep Jenny safe, keep Jenny happy, keep Jenny within arms reach.

Now that they were at their destination Greg had finally gained some professionalism and ceased expressing interest in Jenny. That or the presence of one Chief Inspector Abberline made it more difficult to flirt, if his attempts could even be called flirting. Vastra hated Greg.

"I was wondering why you were taking so long, detective."

"Always a pleasure, where is the body?" Jenny found it hard not to laugh, not out of some morbid sense of humour more out of amusement at Vastra's directness.

The inspector sighed. "Do I even need to be here with you around?" Now that had made Jenny actually laugh, a laugh that had won her a gentle elbow to the ribs.

"It's hardly my fault Silurians have better senses than you."

"Silur-what-ians?" Oh yes, Greg was still there and very much out of the loop.

"D'you think 'e could 'andle it, Fred?" Jenny asked, deliberately using the inspector's first name.

"Madame Vastra?"

"I'm afraid, Inspector, that his interest would shift from my maid to me if he were to see the reason the aforementioned maid has stayed for so long."

Jenny crossed her arms. "I'd prefer it if you didn't." A smirk played across her features. "And I'm still around for more reasons than just your face, darlin'."

"Ladies!" Abberline's voice distracted the pair and brought them back to the case at hand.

"Take us to the body then, honestly Inspector, your priorities seem to be rather disorganised."

Abberline rolled his eyes and lead them to the scene, Greg was told to stay where he was.

Vastra mentally listed all the things she knew already from what she had just seen: clearly a murder- she could smell it, the inspector was disturbed, Greg was an idiot. The night was progressing well.

"Now, Madame Vastra, you might want to... I don't know, just keep an eye on her." Abberline had developed a soft spot for Jenny, he didn't like how Vastra always put her in danger, but it was her own fault if she got hurt. She was a good kid, he'd hate to see something bad happen to her.

"As always."

"You alright Fred?"

"Just make sure to catch whoever did it."

Vastra nodded beneath her hood and dragged Jenny along with her, perhaps not the best idea. Even she had to take a step back, lord knows what Jenny was thinking.

Jenny wanted to scream, cry and, as she was doing at the present time, throw up. At least she emptied the contents of her stomach away from the victim, she didn't want to taint the evidence after all.

She'd seen some grim things in the past, arguably worse than the body in front of her, but this... it was a woman who'd resorted to prostitution, defenceless, easily taken at night.

"This could have been you... Jenny, I- Jenny, we can go home-"

On this night of endless interruptions she cut her off with, "what was her name?" between gasps of breath to keep herself relatively calm.

"Margaret, or Mary, or something similar," Fred answered, having followed, just doing his job.

"Mary," Vastra confirmed. "Read the answers in your hand."

How could he be so casual? This was a real person with a name and a life, she thought just the same as anyone else and this, this thing, had happened to her. Now she wasn't a person, not really. She was dead and didn't do any of the things people do. No more talking, singing, breathing, nothing.

"Can I continue my investigation now? I'm quite sure you didn't call me here for just the pleasure of my company."

"Now you don't know that Madame, perhaps I like a woman with a head like yours on her shoulders."

Were they really doing this? Were the really? Not only was Jenny jealous, Jenny was angry. Angry at Fred for not being so panicked and for seemingly not caring. Worse was her being angry at Vastra. She had even said to Jenny that it could have been her and that was frightening, she didn't care that someone was dead, all she cared about was solving another case. She had reacted with concern when she knew what Jenny's own reaction would be but that didn't count at that point.

Fred reviewed the information in his hand, it wasn't much, just the victim's name, age, location, and- ugh- profession. Bloody prostitutes, they caused enough trouble as it was without them being opened up. Perhaps that was a poor choice if words. "Birds ought to keep their legs closed."

"Abberline!" the formerly semi-jovial lizard hissed, even she knew that was overstepping the line... if only she knew what that phrase actually meant.

"I'll kill 'im, rotten bastard," Jenny muttered under her breath.

"Jenny!" Vastra had to take her to the side and make her face her, away from the mutilated corpse. "Breathe, then talk to me." She wanted to help, but she also wanted to be clever and solve the crime and save the day, but she should have known what she was in for when she started this thing with Jenny, maybe if she kept her at the house and locked the doors... no, she didn't want a pet, a pet required too much work. Jenny didn't need work. Talk to her about her day, don't call her a filthy ape, don't complain about humans too much, keep her happy and keep her well fed. The list of five things Vastra had made as her guide for keeping small human females interested in you, it was a very easy job with a fair few rewards.

And she was hugging her, she didn't know why it just seemed like the right thing to do. If Vastra was upset or annoyed or frustrated Jenny would sometimes hug her, sometimes it would last a while, other times it would only last a couple of seconds. Hugging next to a corpse, they were a strange couple.

"We'll go home, I'll have them put the body on ice and we'll go home, that is what you want, isn't it?" She felt herself being held tighter instead of receiving a real answer. "Jenny dear?"

"Just take me 'ome."

"Inspector!" Vastra called, "We're leaving." And they did leave, but unfortunately it was with Greg, in the carriage, going back via the route they had previously taken.

Greg thought it odd how Vastra's hand was rubbing the girl's back, how Jenny was so comfortably leaning against the cloaked woman, he didn't like it.

"Are you feelin' okay Jenny?" Greg asked, partly to talk to her and partly to break the silence.

Jenny could practically feel Vastra rolling her eyes. "I'm fine," at this point she could either end the conversation or continue talking to him, it was a petty revenge for Vastra's behaviour but she didn't care about pettiness at the time. "What about you?"

"I'm startin' to ge' hungry if I'm honest, but sunrise is still a few hours away so I can' ge' nothin' ye'."

"Anything. You can't get anything yet." Of all the things Vastra hated, and there was a very long list, she really disliked improper use of language, if she could learn proper English then the rest of the people could too.

"Ain't- I mean isn't- that the same thing?" So he could remember Jenny's correction, idiot.

He tried to ignore the exasperated groan from Vastra in favour of listening to Jenny's tired and half-hearted lesson on double negatives. She shouldn't have let him talk.

The carriage jerked as it passed over a damaged part of the road. Jenny yelped, normally that would have been reason for her to receive teasing and laughter from the woman who still somehow managed to keep an arm around her. Greg cursed and hurt his foot, further proving that he was, in fact, a moron.

"Anyway!" he smiled at Jenny, "I'd be happy to take you out somewhere if you're not busy, I mean, I'm gonna need something to eat anyway."

Vastra glared at him, "No." If Jenny wasn't there she probably would have said or done something so scar the boy, instead she left Jenny to deal with him.

She glanced upwards at her veiled companion. "Unfortunately I 'ave other commitments."

"Unfortunately? I'm offended. Why don't you go with him if these 'other commitments' are so terrible?"

"I think I 'ave every right to think you're terrible."

"True, but I think you like that."

"I do."

"So I mustn't be that bad."

"You're not."

"I know."

"Just once le' me be upset with you."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, dear." Even Greg could hear how smug she was.

The man opposite them folded his arms and looked at the tall rich lady, he didn't think he particularly liked her. "If you don't mind me sayin' ma'am, you don't really let Jenny get a say in much."

And with his rudeness a very audible snake-like hiss was heard, along with a gloved hand being grasped.

"We're leaving. Now." Sweet, docile Jenny was almost shaking. Greg could keep making passes at her, he could keep trying to invite her out, he could even keep on speaking like an idiot, but she wouldn't let him be so outwardly rude to Vastra. She had tolerated him so far, even thought he was quite nice, but she was almost as protective as her partner was of her.

"You heard her, boy!" At this point the only thing stopping her from doing anything brash was the hand holding her own. She wanted to pull down her hood and let the memory of her haunt him, but she wouldn't.

The driver could hear them and they skidded to a halt. They left quickly, Jenny removing her hand and deciding that their arms were better linked.

Unable to resist Jenny turned to hit him with her last remark, "And no, I won't be available any time soon."

"What did I ever do to deserve you?"

"Warm food an' good pay," she answered without missing a beat.

"That isn't true, I don't cook and I haven't paid you for months."

During what had dissolved into banter Greg stared, confused and bewildered by the pair's rapid shifting of emotions. Were they angry or happy or annoyed with each other? "You ain' been payin' her?! "

"Is he blind or stupid?"

"Stupid, definitely stupid."

"I think it's time we go home, not that I'm not enjoying this, but my cold disposition could potentially make me very uncomfortable and I doubt you'd enjoy carrying me all the way back," she said as she shuffled closer to the reliable warmth she always kept close while inwardly loathing all of the disadvantages of not generating one's own heat.

"You're not even that cold."

"I don't think you care."

* * *

A/N- Sorry for the late update, I'm just crap at life.


	10. Chapter 10

The following morning both Jenny and Vastra woke up alone. For once Jenny wasn't confined to the furthest reaches of the bed and forced to endure Silurian limbs draped haphazardly. It was surprisingly nice to have a bed of her own again. Vastra, on the other hand, was not so contented. She woke up grumpy and irritable. Jenny was meant to be in her bed with her and be warm.

As a result of her mood Vastra gave her mate a cold shoulder. Metaphorically.

The pair rarely spoke throughout the day, not for lack of Jenny trying to engage in some sort of conversation, only to receive a grunt or hiss and occasionally, "yes," "no," and an especially rare muttering of, "I hate apes," though that wasn't the product of conversation, more the sayings of a sulking hatchling.

Frustration broke her and she crossed her arms. If Vastra was sulking then she could too and maybe she'd snap the goddamn woman out of her own mood.

"Pouting doesn't look good on you dear." And finally she spoke, properly spoke. Jenny had almost forgotten her accent.

"You've been pouting all day!" complained Jenny who was now sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest.

"Don't act like you want me around," said Vastra before taking a cushion to the face. "That was uncalled for."

She ignored her. "Is this about last night?"

So making her feel guilty for abandoning her without a word wasn't going to work. Not that she cared. "It was cold last night, not that you'd know," she said bitterly.

No, the guilt thing worked. Jenny did feel bad for leaving, worse for not even saying anything. She was just upset and tired and she wanted some time alone. "You're upset with me?"

If she had hair then Vastra probably would have been tearing it out. "No, not at all, I'm perfectly happy and not at all upset with the woman who 'cares' about me and I l-... live with." She stood with her back to the now moping girl. "I know you're pulling the face."

She nearly screamed and let out a surprisingly articulate string of profanities when the smaller woman hugged her from behind, but she had enough lady-like grace to restrain herself. "I'm not cold anymore, you can let go of me." If Jenny were asked to list Vastra's flaws one of them would be that she could never let anything go.

"Oh come on ma'am," she kept one arm around her and rubbed her back, "relax and calm down."

"If you wanted to latch onto me then maybe you shouldn't have been so antisocial last night."

She returned to having both arms around Vastra and rested her forehead against her shoulder.

"I don't understand what you're doing."

"You were lonely?"

The green woman's back went rigid again, much too proud to be lonely. She could easily live a life where she'd sleep in her bed by herself, she'd done it before and she'd do it again. Of course she'd need to get a smaller bed, too much space, it would be as if she were begging for someone else to be there, which she didn't need. She glanced over her shoulder. Frowning in thought, she changed her mind. 'Actually,' she thought, 'I did /like/ having something that kept me warm, and I need that extra space as a place for the thing that kept me warm and maybe I don't hate- what did Jenny call it?- cuddling. For warmth. And to protect Jenny. Because I'm stronger and look after her. I don't enjoy it.'

"You know, you put on this big show of being mysterious and dangerous and cold, but you're not, not really. You're my big lizard who likes being hugged."

Disturbed from her inner monologue, she gently removed Jenny's arms from around her. "And you were doing so well."

"I'm trying to make you feel better! God forbid I care enough to go out of my way for you!"

"You have to, you're my maid." They were facing each other now.

"I seem to remember you saying I'm not your maid anymore."

"We all make mistakes."

* * *

A/N- Sorry for the super short chapter, I suck


	11. Chapter 11

"An' where 'ave you been?!" a furious, if a little small, maid asked. She'd been worried sick. It was common courtesy to at least say goodbye and she didn't even get that. She was cleaning their room and then she heard the door slam shut.

"Vastra!" she yelled after her when she walked away. Jenny followed and noticed that she wasn't quite herself, the first indication being the fact that she would usually have yelled back by this point. "Vastra," she repeated in a softer tone.

Without warning Jenny was pulled into a tight, almost crushing, and slightly soggy hug. "I am, I am sorry, Jenny. I am so sorry."

Sorry? Yes she'd wanted an apology but something told her that she wasn't apologising for leaving without warning and not returning until the wee hours of the morning. Instead of getting mad and fighting she just let herself be held and rubbed her back. "Hey, shh, s'alrigh' now, s'okay."

"It's not, no it's not." Jenny could feel her muscles twitching and shaking beneath her clothes. "You're not going out for a while, please don't go out, at least not without my accompaniment."

She didn't receive an answer so she simply held her maid tighter. "He- What he did..." Was Vastra scared? Vastra never got scared, it wasn't right. Vastra scared people, people didn't scare Vastra. "I followed a lead, I found him, nearly saved the girl too... It was- it was like when I found you."

Now Jenny was holding onto the lizard too, in a way she was flattered that Vastra cared so much about her, to the point where she'd be trembling at any reminder of their, well, unfortunate meeting.

Jenny removed the veil and held the cold, scaled face in her hands. "Look a' me ma'am, please."

So she did look at her, she rested her forehead atop Jenny's and waited.

"If you really don' wan' me goin' out then I won't, bu't only 'cause you're as scared as you are, okay?" Vastra nodded.

Vastra muttered something too quiet for Jenny to understand, followed by something akin to a whine. And now she was kissing her, she wasn't complaining but it wasn't expected. This always happened when one should have been upset with the other, they could see a clear pattern.

Soon, however, Jenny shooed the lizard off to bed to get to sleep, sleep that she clearly needed. Jenny didn't go with her, she couldn't at this point, she'd been up so long that she'd ruin her sleeping pattern if she were to rest now. Well, she had a few extra hours so she did what she always did: she cleaned.

It didn't take very long at all, she was left bored with nothing to do, she was almost relieved when there was a knock at the door.

And then the relief was gone when she saw who it was, but she was far too polite to just close the door in his face. "Oh, er, mornin' Greg."

"Good morning Jenny, can I come in?" He mistook her small step back as an invitation into her home and lumbered in. "Thanks."

"Madame's asleep, I don' really wanna disturb her, so can you just tell me what you need to tell me an' we'll investigate later?"

"Oh no, no, no' here abou' a case Miss Jenny." He smiled at her and laced his fingers together. "I was just wonderin' if you'd like to go on a walk with me, if you'd like?"

Her face flushed. "Oh, uh, Greg, well, tha's really nice-"

"So you'll come?" he sounded sickeningly hopeful.

"Madame doesn't want me to leave, not without 'er... she's awfully strict abou' things like that."

"She don't-"

"Doesn't."

"Doesn't own you. I just thought it'd be nice to get to know each other a bit more." He grabbed her hand to try and encourage her to go with him, but all he succeeded in doing was scaring the living day lights out of her.

"Ma'am!" the girl screamed, calling for Vastra- it made sense to her at the time. She felt threatened so she called for who always made it better. Though she regretted it when she realised that, with her boundless rage and current state, Vastra may slightly overreact.

"Get your paws of her," she hissed, still-robed and veil-less. "She is not yours to handle."

"You migh' wanna le' go now, she gets real mad when people don' do wha' she wants," Jenny warned.

Unfortunately for him he was too stunned to let go, in fact, he may have held her tighter. "You're-" She held up her hand to silence him.

"Jenny, dear, I trust you aren't secretly vying for his affections. To be honest I didn't think he was quite your type."

"Don' worry ma'am, you've go' a certain allure to you."

"Forgive my indiscretion, but is 'allure' a human synonym for tongue?" she asked with a sly smirk, apparently recovered enough from earlier to make comments like that. Her focus returned to the man touching her Jenny. "Now you, if you want to keep that hand of yours I suggest letting her go, personally I'd prefer it if you did, not because I'm particularly merciful but because I rather like Miss Jenny in that outfit."

Greg, ever the idiot, didn't just refuse to let go, he tried to 'rescue' Jenny from the monstrous clutches of the weird snake-lady-thing. The only thing this action resulted in was Vastra looking worried for about a tenth of a second and him being sprawled on the floor with the beginnings of a concussion.

Jenny, smirking much like her partner, hooked her arm in Vastra's.

"Anyone'd think the two of you are married or somethin'!" he shouted, meaning it to be offensive.

"No!" She glanced up at the woman she was holding on to, who actually looked a bit upset. "I mean, if she asked I wouldn' say no, uh, I'm no' discussin' our relationship with you."

Vastra flicked her hand towards the man on the floor. "Just a moment," she said before turning to Jenny. "Wouldn't say no?" she mumbled, trying to limit the amount Greg could hear.

"Please ma'am, this is 'ardly the time." Jenny was more acutely aware of when and where to discuss matters like this.

"You won't let me bring it up later."

"Unless you're planin' on goin' down on one knee you can drop i'."

"If I were to propose, hypothetically speaking of course, you wouldn't refuse?"

"I also wouldn't say yes, so can we _please _drop the subject." It wasn't until after that she realised that she didn't mean it to offend her, she just really didn't want to talk about something like this when they weren't alone. In all honesty she didn't know if she knew what she wanted for them, she never knew what she wanted for her future or her relationships. Not that she wanted to leave Vastra, no, she couldn't imagine doing that.

"Either way," she said brusquely, masking any hurt that she definitely was not feeling, "you," she snapped her head down to look at the man on the floor and chuckled darkly. Both of the humans in the room took note of how scary she could be. "You can do your level best to avoid me, else I will not hesitate to do actions befitting of the beast you no doubt think me to be," her accent was thicker and her voice more feral when she spoke to him. "Do you understand?"

It didn't take long for the deluded man to scramble out of their home on all fours. As soon he was out Vastra slouched and left to her room, the one recently filled with tropical plants thanks to Jenny, who tried to follow once she'd closed the front door after Greg and receiving a few strange looks from people who had seen a grown man crawl out of her house. She nearly smacked into the door as it was slammed shut in front of her. Naturally she tried to open it, only to find it locked. "Are you gonna le' me in?" The only answer she got was the sound of pottery smashing. "Hey! Those were expensive!"

She braced herself and waited for Vastra to scream at her from the other side of the door, she was deeply disturbed when the normally volatile woman didn't say anything. "Vastra, you know how I feel about you, that isn't gonna change anytime soon."

Another pot was smashed. "Ma'am! Let me in there right now!"

Vastra was feeling a lot of things, none of them that nice to be feeling. Smashing the things around her was a good outlet, she'd regret it later, she knew that, but it was nice to damage something beyond repair at that moment. She didn't know how Jenny felt, she had an idea, a vague inkling, from the way she looked at her, how she kissed her, responded to her every beck and call. But sometimes she just didn't understand, which, in fairness, she should have expected. It upset her to know that Jenny could have a restful sleep when she wasn't beside her while she herself would toss and turn without so much as a wink of rest. It hurt that it seemed like her feelings for the girl weren't reciprocated at the same strength, she was surprised, and had been from the beginning, that they were reciprocated at all. It made her feel sick to her stomach that she would never be right for her. She knew it made more sense to leave and go after a good man, have a child, a real family. She knew life with someone like her offered more hurdles than it was worth, it was only a matter of time before she was left alone. Hell, the poor girl probably only hung around out of gratitude and general politeness.

Yet another pot was smashed before she answered. "I am in no mood to talk, Miss Flint."

'Miss Flint'- she hated being called that- banged on the door. "I don' care if you're in the bloody mood to talk, we need to!" Selfish woman. Not everything revolved around her feelings. She... cared a great deal for her, but, by god, could she be torture to live with. She softened her voice, "come on darlin', let me in."

There was a quiet thump against the door, Jenny was hopeful that it was going to open, soon realising it wasn't after about thirty seconds. Unbeknownst to the girl on the other side Vastra was standing with her forehead resting against the solid wood of the door. "And why should I do that? Every time I do or say something that even skirts around the edges of opening up to you I end up worse for wear."

She sighed. "Not that kind of lettin' me in. I just wan' you to open this door so we can talk. Can you do tha'? For me?"

"Don't treat me like a child, do you forget that I do hold the power to make you leave?"

Jenny only rolled her eyes at the hollow threat. "No you won't." She shook the doorknob. "Now Vastra, are you gonna to stay in there and break all the nice things I got you or are you gonna to come out and face me?"

She heard something else smash. She supposed she should have expected that. "I'd just like to remind you 'ow long it took to get all those for you."

"I didn't ask for them."

"You don't 'ave to ask me to do something nice for you..." her voice was small and it scraped at Vastra's literally cold heart.

The door unlatched, the sound of it echoed throughout the house.

Jenny slowly, nervously, opened the door. Inside, as she had expected, the was Vastra, now sitting, brooding away in her chair, a scattering of pottery, plants, and soil, and a thick air of awkwardness. Jenny huffed and started cleaning the room, mostly out of habit.

"I'll do that. Later," Jenny cringed at how she sounded, she spoke to her very much like how she spoke to clients. It was a far-cry from the usual fondness that usually filled her voice. "I don't even know why I let you in here," Jenny could tell she was getting more and more frustrated with herself, she knew she had a brilliant mind but she couldn't dream of experiencing it, it seemed almost like a curse sometimes.

"You should probably get back to bed, can't 'ave you losin' your sleep now. Not that I'm tryin' to get rid of you or anythin'," she added hurriedly.

"No, no, now is the time for me to think rather than sleep, my dear." Well, if all else was lost, at least she wasn't angry enough to stop calling her that.

Jenny began questioning if she was really angry at all. She was slumped in her chair, looking at the floor save for brief glances up at her, she hadn't said anything cruel and/or vindictive yet.

"Did he ever have a chance?" she asked, not looking up.

"Are you- are you jealous?" If she was it was really quite adorable, that she could get herself worked up over the thought of losing her. Jenny fought the self-statisfied smirk growing on her face.

Of course she wasn't jealous. "Why should I be jealous? It's not as if they have you. Though, I don't either." Vastra didn't get jealous, it was hardly becoming. If anything she mildly envied others. Jealous, pah!

Jenny rolled her eyes again at her unnecessary comment and sat at the obviously-not-jealous woman's feet. "'Course you aren'." She leaned the side of her head on her knees. "I still think we should talk."

"I don't." One of her hands started stroking and playing with her hair- she was frightfully bad at being upset with her. "You still haven't answered my question." She wasn't sure if it was a blessing or a curse, she was conflicted between blissful(?) ignorance and knowing.

"None at all." Jenny heard an exhale of breath Vastra herself didn't know she was holding.

"I love you, you know," she admitted. Well, she didn't actually say it, but she was thinking it. What else was she supposed to do? If she did proclaim her feelings the best case scenario involved Jenny only staying out of pity, the worse was outright leaving, acknowledging exactly who and what she was. It was funny, she wouldn't have thought that before today's episode.

Jenny prodded her leg after a long minute of silence. "I'm really sorry about 'im, I should 'ave made it clear that I wasn' interested."

The lizard smirked and laughed to herself. "True as that is, you've never been quite good at indicating your interest, romantic or otherwise." She leaned back and closed her eyes, but not before catching the look Jenny was giving her.

"That isn't fair. You were differen't."

"In what way? The fact that I'm a woman or is it just my slight leaning towards the more reptilian?" At least she was teasing her now, that was something at least.

"That isn't what I meant."

"I know."

"You were, are, important."

"It's nice of you to say that, it really is, but I know how difficult this is for you."

"I's easier than you'd think." She leaned into Vastra's hand when she gently scraped her claws across the back of her neck. "Took a while to get used to, but this life, I like what we've go'."

"Dear me, I think there really must be something wrong with you." Jenny squeezed her leg as she spoke. "I'm still upset with you, just so you know."

Jenny stood up.

"Sorry, sorry, I'll stop." Even she knew that sometimes, only sometimes, she could slip up on her social etiquette.

"Move." No, it was not remotely attractive when she sounded like she was the one in charge. And her hands on her hips didn't complete the character. Not even slightly adorable.

Vastra complied and got out of her chair to follow Jenny to the kitchen. The kitchen always made her think of Jenny, not just because she spent a lot of time in there. Jenny wasn't afraid of getting her hands dirty, metaphorically as well as physically, but, when well looked after, was never tarnished for long.

"Why are we here?"

"I'm proving a point, ma'am." The maid opened various draws to reveal a once-worrying array of kitchen knives. Next she opened the pantry. Jenny, ever the practical girl, had taken to hanging the carcasses up to save space, she'd actually been doing that since she first came to Pasternoster Row, Vastra just never had any reason to look. "I do a lo' in 'ere every day, for you. I know it's not that much, but I don't do it for my 'ealth." She shook her head and began preparing one of Vastra's meals. "I could easily leave, saying it's 'cause this is too much for me, but I don't and I don't want to." She hadn't looked at her since she had lead her into the room. "You're probably the best thing that's ever happened to me," she finished quietly.

"I just thought, with people taking an interest in you, that you'd stop needing me, or wanting me for that matter."

"You're a beautiful idiot, save for the genius part, other than that you are just an idiot."

"Wow, this is hardly the behaviour of a person who said they wouldn't refuse to marry me," she teased, but really she did want to bring up the subject. Not that she had any plans to propose anytime soon, even she understood that neither of them were ready for it, it was just nice to know, you know?

"Ma'am, my mum said to me once that once you analyse your relationship it dies, and I don't wanna ever let that happen."

Vastra smiled wide, only growing wider when Jenny leaned over to whisper something to her, shortly followed by a peck on her cheek. "Now will you please stop worrying so much?"

* * *

A/N- In which I am awful at updating and am awfully sorry. Anyway, thanks for reading, I hope you're enjoying it, have a wonderful day.


	12. Chapter 12

Late at night, or early in the morning, whichever way you want to look at it, Vastra was called upon. Jenny, who had at that point been home alone for hours, had to explain that she herself hadn't seen her since the previous day. She even slipped up at one point and said that she just woke up and Madame was gone. Fortunately he didn't quite understand that she was so surprised by her absence because they shared a bed.

There must have been a reason why she'd gone out, Jenny, still being under house arrest, wouldn't have been permitted to go with her anyway. Still, it would be nice to know where she was so she knew whether or not she had any legitimate reason to worry. The situation would have to be pretty bad, extremely bad, if Jenny had cause to worry- Vastra could handle herself, that they both knew, and while the woman complained about the needless concern she appreciated it. It was hardly as if she didn't do the same thing herself, rarely allowing Jenny more than a few feet away from her just so she could constantly keep an eye on her. Doting old thing.

She spent her day in their room mostly- ha, Vastra often made jokes like that. Though in all seriousness, she did. Her mistress had forbade that she do any housework, she was fed up if finding her exhausted every day for doing too much. The girl caught up on some lost sleep, though her periods of rest were only brief, the longest only being about half an hour. When she wasn't sleeping she spent her time admiring the things they had collected over their time spent together, as well as what Vastra had brought with her since she came to the surface.

Swords, clothes, some unidentifiable Silurian items that were probably a regular sight in their society. It made the girl wonder if this was how Vastra felt, but only on a much larger scale. She laughed at her own pun. She doubted it, Vastra was far too above that, she did have an impressive grasp of ape... human customs. Sure she slipped up every now and then, but she rarely made the same mistake twice. Except maybe with Jenny, she, unbeknownst to her mate, always struggled with talking to her. She felt as if she could say anything, yes, but she never wanted to forget how to say somethings and offend her, which she very nearly did a lot of the time. Jenny was very good about it really, she explained why she shouldn't say certain things and elaborated on 'strange mammal things' that Vastra just didn't get.

She, ever curious, picked up a small round silver object that was surprisingly heavy, the thing had patterns going all around it, Jenny thought it was very pretty.

She checked the time again, pleased to see that a good amount had been spent. It felt almost pathetic, needy even, that she would count down the minutes until Vastra would come back.

The ball ended up being thrown in the air purely because she jumped at the sudden loud whooshing noise. She managed to catch it and put it back on the shelf before going downstairs to investigate just what the hell that was.

Many questions were raised: what was it? Where did it come from? and, now this one is a classic, how did it end up there?

It was big and blue and strange. Big blue strange boxes didn't just appear out of nowhere.

It said police on the front of it. Had Vastra given them some sort of advanced technology? No, she had suggested it to her before, only to have a lengthy explanation of why she shouldn't interfere with the development of humans.

Vastra always encouraged curiosity and detectiveity, so, like any rational and reasonable person, she and behold: she was answered by a strangely dressed man with stupid hair.

"Madame's out, do you want me to take a message?" We'll done Jenny, really well done, don't you seem clever, that being the first thing you say to him is just the best.

"What is with me and finding Londoners? Am I some sort of cockney magnet?" he babbled to himself.

Jenny took a step back from him.

"And who's this 'Madame' you mentioned, eh? Don't tell me the old snake is having people call her that," he droned, trying to sound at least a bit playful, but there was something beneath his tone that Jenny didn't like. Something dark and wholly unpleasant. There was also something in his eyes, the were slightly narrowed and sunken. Despite the persona he was trying to display something was gravely wrong.

"Old snake?" let see how far feigned ignorance would get her.

"Tall, quite green, assortment of scales. Bit stuck up too, can be something of a smart arse."

Jenny bit her lip so she didn't laugh. "That'll be 'er."

"Without seeming rude, why are you here? She's not really big on humans."

She shuffled awkwardly. "You'd be surprised, she's not as bad as she lets on..." Vastra was going to have her head for divulging personal information. "I'm her maid, by the way."

"She let a human live with her? God, you must really be something, bloody hell. Well done, no seriously, well done."

"I didn't do anything, she was just 'iring an' I was the only one to apply." She shrugged, she didn't enjoy this topic.

He just nodded. "How long have you been here?"

She thought about it. At that moment she wasn't entirely sure, she wouldn't have even been able to tell him the date. All her days in the house seemed to blur together, days into weeks into months, the good and the bad, it was just one long lump of events. She'd never experienced anything like that before but she was certain that she didn't regret this life. "A long while now, she's good to me."

"She's changed then?"

"A lot, she 'asn't accidentally called me an ape in months now."

"But she calls other humans apes?" He sounded annoyed. "She better hold her tongue when I get her there," he was speaking to himself.

Jenny bit back the numerous things she could say, Madame's sense of humour had begun to rub off on her. "Oh, you've go' a case? I'll tell 'er when she gets back."

The strange man, who Jenny was beginning to think was just a figment of her imagination- she knew she'd go mental one day, retreated back onto the box.

She was going to lie down. Vastra would be back soon.

* * *

A/N- Well, this is it. It's been fun. I'm sorry for my penchant for very blunt and dissatisfying endings, but I really didn't want to end up in AGMGTW. I do have like 3 more planned so stay tuned if you want. Thanks a billion and you're all great.


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